This invention relates generally to safety devices for turning off the water supply to domestic hot water heaters or the like, when a leak has developed. In the past, a serious problem has existed when a leak has developed in a home owner's hot water heater. After returning from a vacation or some other extended trip, it was not uncommon to find a basement flooded because of a leak which developed in the hot water heater. Often this would lead to extensive property damage and great inconvenience to the home owner.
Clearly then, it would be highly desirable to have a system which can be readily installed in the domestic hot water heating unit and which would automatically turn off the supply of water to the unit when a leak developed. However, up to the present time, no such system has been available.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a system which would automatically turn off the water supply to a hot water heater, when a leak developed.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a system which is responsive only to a leak and will not turn off the water supply in response to "water hammer" or another similar condition.